Andean Birding will be heading into its 10th year of operation January 2013. Originally started by Charlie Vogt and Jonas Nilsson, Jonas has gone on to focus on the Wildsumaco Lodge operation and related projects. The General Manager, Charlie has spent 22 years actively birding in Ecuador and other Andean/Amazonian countries. He was a resident guide at Sacha Lodge for a year as well as a frequently invited guide at Kapawi, Yachana Lodge, Tiputini Biodiversity Station as well as leading Wilderness Travel groups to the Kofan village of Zabalo. In addition he has guided for VENT and as a backup for Field Guides and Birdquest.

Charlie has conducted many ornithological research projects and has published 5 papers, 3 in ornithological journals (see Research). More recently he has undertaken bird surveys for Maquipucuna Foundation in rustic cacao plantations laying the groundwork for future Bird-friendly Chocolate certification.

He was attracted to Ecuador because of its extraordinary bird diversity (over 1600 species nestled in an area the size of Colorado), which is due to the juxtaposition of: varied topography, diverse habitats and its extraordinary bird diversity. Here the Andes rise majestically between the coastal plain and the legendary Amazon basin creating more than 40 major ecosystems and 9 endemic bird areas.

There is a lot to discover, to protect and to convey to others about the birds and their environment. Improved infrastructure and accessibility to birding areas has made Ecuador a great place to live and work - and of course to visit!

We also design our tours, when at all possible, to stay at lodges which are run by conservation organizations such as the Jocotoco Foundation (the most effective bird conservation group in Ecuador) or hotels which preserve substantial tracks of forest and demonstrate a clear environmental mission. These lodges are more expensive but the proceeds go directly to conservation.

Andean Birding was founded in order to promote responsible bird tourism. Beyond our commitment to provide you with the best bird trip for a great price, our mission is to foster bird conservation and to further ornithological research in the Andean region. By choosing Andean Birding you will help protect bird species and their habitats in Ecuador.

Browse our site for descriptions of our standard tours which offer comfortable opportunities to see hundreds of bird species.

We are long-term residents of Ecuador who employ Ecuadorians, and all operating expenses support the local economy. We're proud of Ecuador, its people, and its birds!

Andean Birding is eager to tackle your specific birding interests and committed to providing you with the best, cost-effective itinerary for your birding pleasure backed by the knowledge and experience we have gained in the Andean region.

Born in California but reared in Boston, Charlie is an expert on the birds of Ecuador and has mounted numerous expeditions in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Guyana. A major contributor of recordings to Xeno-canto.org, a birdsong database, he has conducted bird surveys and prepared bird lists for many foundations and protected areas in Ecuador including Yachana Lodge, Maquipucuna (Bird-friendly Chocolate), La Perla Reserves and Madidi Natlional Park in Bolivia. His sense of discovery has led him to find one new bird species for Ecuador (Tropical Mockingbird), 2nd record for Northern Shoveler as well as many new provincial and altitude records (3 cited in the Birds of Ecuador). He is a published author of 5 scientific papers on bird distribution, bird behavior, pollination and herpetology. In 2004 he undertook one of the first ornithological expeditions to the summit of Volcan Sumaco, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. With a B.S. from Colorado College an M.S. in Evolutionary Biology from NAU and 8 years at Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology, Charlie has also obtained a comprehensive knowledge of tropical botany and entomology. He has led tours for Wilderness Travel and Harvard's Museum of Natural History. Rounding out his business sense and teaching abilities, he has also worked for many years in environmental consulting and most recently served as Academic Director for the Ecology Program with the School for International Training in Ecuador. His easygoing style and humor serves him well with everyone.

Roger Ahlman

Roger Ahlman

Raised in southern Sweden and an active and respected birder, Roger has served on the regional records committee and birded extensively around the world. South America is his favorite continent and he has birded most countries, focusing on Peru and Ecuador. Resident in Quito since 2005, he has rediscovered the Cinnamon Teal in Ecuador with the first record in 65 years. Also he recently added 2 new species for Ecuador, Philadelphia Vireo and Wilson’s Warbler. A founding member of the Ecuadorian Records Committee, Roger is also an accomplished bird photographer and a major contributor of recordings to Xeno-canto.org. He is known for assisting serious birders as well as his patience with inexperienced birders and is great at spotting birds and getting people onto them.

A native of Quito, Boris has grown up around the birds of Mindo on the west slope and has gone on to master the birds throughout Ecuador and Peru. He managed Canandé lodge for the Jocotoco Foundation in the northwest tropical lowlands for a full year, leading bird tourists to see many Chocó specialties and has become an accomplished bird photographer. He has an exceptional talent for spotting birds and recognizing their calls. His family farm, Mindo Loma, has become a popular birder’s lodge with their active hummingbird feeders and fruit trays yielding many uncommon specialties.